How to properly wash those smelly workout clothes

If so, it’s time you stop shoving your clothes in with the regular wash and give them some much needed attention. Not only will you smell better you can also extend the life of your gear.

Here are just a few tweaks to get your clothes clean and product recommendations from Downey that can help easily do just that:

Tip 1: Read the tag.

Not all clothes follow the same rules for laundry time. Some clothes need to be hand-washed, some may need to be hung to dry, and some might go in the washer and dryer without a care in the world. Don’t just guess; read the label.

Tip 2: Wash the odors away.

Workout odors can be nose-scrunchingly tough to deal with. That’s why you should add Febreze in-wash Odor Eliminator to your wash. It will wash away the odors so the only memories of hot yoga you’ll have are the sore glutes.

Tip 3: Dealing with dry-fit clothing.

Fabric softener and dryer sheets cannot be used on every type of fabric. If you’re washing or drying with these products with towels, workout clothes, microfiber fabrics or flame-retardant children’s clothing, you are actually ruining the fabrics. Wicking fabric, microfiber and fluffy towels are coated by softeners and lose their ability to absorb or wick moisture. If used on children’s sleepwear, softeners will actually make them more flammable instead of flame retardant!

So, you love the scent of Downy®, but your active-wear with dry-fit technology says you can’t use fabric softener. That’s when you should reach for Downy Fresh Protect April Fresh and toss it into your Downy Ball.* You’ll get the classic Downy fragrance, and you won’t affect your fabric’s ability to stay dry.

(*About Downy Ball: No more waiting for the rinse cycle. No more cleaning out the dispenser. With the Downy Ball, fabric softener is automatically released during the rinse cycle. To enjoy the convenience of Downy Ball just pour the Downy fabric softener of choice up to the right fill line in the Downy.)

Tip 4: Separating Fabric and Colors

Mixing the wrong colors is not the only thing you need to worry about in the wash. Mixing fabric types can be just as damaging to clothing as reds mixed with whites. Rough fabrics like denim or corduroy should not be washed with soft fabrics like cotton or jersey knits. Mixing fabric types can cause pilling and premature wear.

Tip 5: Drying Dry Fit Clothes

Letting clothes go through a spin cycle in the wash can ruin their shape. If you are washing garments that contain stretchy or delicate fabrics, skip the spin cycle and do not wring them out over a sink. Instead, get a clean towel that won’t bleed color or accept color from your garment, lay the garment flat on the towel and then roll the garment into the towel to gently remove excess moisture. Then lay flat to dry. Febreze wrinkle releaser can always be sprayed on for a smell good scent and to rid your gear of wrinkles.